Painless disposable paper patch test for screening prediabetes developed

To make the patch, the researchers first made the microneedles by pouring a melted mixture of a biodegradable polymer and salt into the cone-shaped cavities of a micro-mold while applying heat. Then they flipped the mold and needles upside down and placed them on top of a piece of paper, this time applying high pressure from above. The high pressure forced the mixture into the pores of the paper, securing the attachment and allowing fluid drawn through the needles to pass effortlessly into the paper. After removal from the mold, the needles were cooled in a solution that sucked out all the salt, leaving behind thousands of holes, or pores, which are what the fluid flows through on its way to the paper. The salt concentration was a key factor they needed to optimize, testing several concentrations of salt to determine how porous the microneedles should be. To finish the patch, they used double-sided tape to attach a paper glucose sensor onto the paper base of the needle array.

The team tested the patch on an agarose gel in which glucose had been dissolved. Fluid from the gel flowed from the gel into the porous microneedles, and from there into the paper and the sensor layer. The glucose concentration was accurately recorded as color changes in the paper.

The patches are disposable, biodegradable, and using them does not require any medical expertise or training. They are also biocompatible, meaning that there is no problem if any remain in the skin when the patch is removed.

"Of course, prediabetes testing is just one application of the technology," says first author Hakjae Lee. "The paper-based sensor can vary depending on the biomarker you wish to monitor."

After this success, the next step will be to test the practicality of the device with human participants and to develop configurations for monitoring other substances, and in turn, determining the presence of other conditions.

The article, "Porous microneedles on a paper for screening test of prediabetes," was published in Medical Devices & Sensors at DOI: 10.1002/mds3.10109